Avast, a wager
Two local mateys vie for longest time in pirate garb
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Danny Graham (Captain Charles Goonhand, left) and Alex Abraham (Captain Boot Strap Bill Cosby) ham it up in Pittsford Wednesday afternoon. The two men have made a bet to see who can dress like a pirate the longest. CASSANDRA HOTALING / RUTLAND HERALD |
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By Gordon Dritschilo Herald Staff - Published: July 18, 2008
Danny Graham recently went to the liquor store dressed as a pirate and bought $100 worth of rum.
"The girl behind the counter thought that was pretty funny," the 21-year-old said as he sat outside his house wearing a tricorne hat and brandishing a pistol.
Pirate sightings are likely to abound in the area this summer, Graham said, as he and friend Alex Abraham, 18, compete to see which of them can spend the longest dressed as a pirate.
The dastardly duo said Wednesday they were in the fourth week of a bet. The terms — each must dress like a pirate whenever not at work, showering or sleeping, with special stipulations for occasions where pirate garb would be wholly inappropriate, such as funerals. The last one to give up, wins.
The winner gets $500 (or should that be pieces of eight?) and a black powder pistol. The loser will get zapped with a Taser.
A Taser? Wouldn't a cat o' nine tails be more appropriate?
"It was just random and spontaneous, like the rest of it," Abraham said of the Taser stipulation. "We had a Taser at the time and were joking around about it."
Abraham said he sold his Taser, but they will get another one to fulfill that portion of the bet.
They have outfits right out of pirate movies and realistic-looking swords, which they happily drew to engage in an impromptu fencing match on Graham's front lawn. The sight drew an appreciative shout of "Ahoy, mateys!" from one of the neighbors.
Graham said he hopes to enlist the help of friends so he and Abraham can have a swordfight between a pair of boats on Lake Dunmore before the end of the summer.
Graham and Abraham said they grew up together, living near each other on Plains Road all their lives, and are longtime friends.
"We were kind of joking around about how it would be funny to dress up like a pirate for a while, until everyone got used to it, and then suddenly stop without saying anything," Graham said.
From there, he said the conversation turned into macho posturing about which of them could do it longer and the bet was made. Graham insisted they had not been drinking at the time.
They said they had enough mutual friends that they were sure each would catch the other if he cheated.
"We've got eyes all over the place," Abraham said.
The two came up with pirate names as well. Graham's is Captain Charles Goonhand — "Goonhand" being a nickname Graham said he got working as a bouncer in Killington. Abraham's is Bootstrap Bill Cosby, a reference to a "Pirates of the Caribbean" character and the comedian.
They have also practiced speaking in pirate lingo, though Graham said he really only uses it when talking to someone who owes him money.
"We're still kind of getting our wardrobes together," Graham said, pausing to sip from a bottle of rum. "I have a feeling it's going to be a long-term thing."
Graham said he was already looking at pirate coats for the winter. Abraham chimed in that he already had one.
Reactions to their competition have been varied. They said children are generally fascinated and adults often give them odd stares. Graham said they went into a bank together and were told by an employee that if they were robbing it, they should look at the camera and walk out.
Graham said his girlfriend broke up with him since the contest began, but that it had nothing to do with piracy.
"I was kind of surprised, but a lot of girls seem to like the pirate attire," he said. "I think it would be different if we were dressed up as 'Lord of the Rings' or something."
Abraham said he has become involved with a young woman since the bet started and that she is all for his participation.
"I keep waiting for him to get a life for (the bet) to interfere with," Graham said.
"That it will not," Abraham shot back.
Contact Gordon Dritschilo at gordon.dritschilo@rutlandherald.com.
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